The Miners opened their new season campaign with a home match against Olimpik Donetsk. The team line-up has changed significantly throughout the summer. Among regular players, defender Yurii Mate, midfielders Maksym Chekh and Oleksii Kaschuk, as well as striker Andrii Kulakov started the game.

First half

Shakhtar gained the territorial advantage from the off and spent most of the time at the other end. Olimpik, on their part, did not intend to demonstrate attacking performance, focusing exclusively on defence. Despite playing initiative, they created few clear-cut opportunities. So, Andrii Kulakov emerged on the offensive end on several occasions, but lacked accuracy in the closing stages. In the 30th minute, the forward had to score, however he hit into the opponent’s hand, with the referee waving away a claim for a penalty. The Orange-and-Blacks often aimed at the rivals’ goal only to see their shots off the target. Already in the injury time added to the first half, Kaschuk missed a wonderful goal-scoring chance. Oleksii rushed at pace into the penalty area to hit a near-post kick from a promising position.

Already in the injury time added to the first half, Kaschuk missed a wonderful goal-scoring chance. Oleksii rushed at pace into the penalty area to hit a near-post kick from a promising position

Second half

After the break, the game pattern did not change. The Miners still piled on tremendous pressure on Olimpik defensive line, and soon they broke the match open. On 59 minutes, a defence-splitting pass from Oleksii Kaschuk put Kulakov clear, before Andrii slotted home from the tight angle to make it 1-0.

On 59 minutes, a defence-splitting pass from Oleksii Kaschuk put Kulakov clear, before Andrii slotted home from the tight angle to make it 1-0

After notching an opener, Serhii Shyschenko’s lads did not rest on their laurels and might double the lead. Maksym Andruschenko and Oleksii Kashchuk played a nice one-two with one another, with the latter being not lucky enough with the finishing blow. The next moment of danger came Dmytro Kryskiv’s way. He displayed great individual performance before playing a through ball to Kuzmenko, however, Vladyslav's shot turned out to be inaccurate. The Orange-and-Blacks secure a 1-0 win in the opening match of the season.

The game turned out to be not easy. We assumed that Olimpik would defend in numbers. We did not succeed a little bit in terms of creating performance: it went well now and then, but not as well as we would like it to be. However, I am happy that the guys are trying to employ what we do at the training sessions

Serhii Shyschenko, Shakhtar U19 head coach:

- The game turned out to be not easy. We assumed that Olimpik would defend in numbers. We did not succeed a little bit in terms of creating performance: it went well now and then, but not as well as we would like it to be. However, I am happy that the guys are trying to employ what we do at the training sessions. Though we succeed in it occasionally, however, the crucial is that we manage to do that. Overall, I am not completely satisfied with what I have seen today. I want more aggression, ball control, movement. However, I am certainly very pleased with a victory. Right, there were mistakes, certain misunderstanding, but we emerged victorious and earned three points. In the next round, we will play Dynamo. We get set for this clash in a serious way, we are looking forward to it. We will play for a win only and try to implement on the ground what we work on at the training sessions. I think the match will be nice, including serious heat, emotions. Still, a head-to-head encounter Shakhtar and Dynamo attracts intense interest at any level.

Shakhtar U19 will hold their next match on August 12. As part of the second round, the Miners will lock horns with Dynamo U19 away.